Homemade Sugar Scrub with Brown Sugar and Coconut Oil

If you’ve ever wanted to know how to make sugar scrub, you’re in for a treat. Literally. Homemade sugar scrub tastes a little like cookie dough, if you make it a certain way.

Ok, a lot like cookie dough. Every time I use this on my face I dip my finger in it and eat a glob. Needless to say there isn’t a lot of exfoliating going on when I’m doing a round of Whole30. Too tempting. Or I’d forget and eat some anyway.

It’s a terrible habit. However, I love that I can make DIY body scrub for a fraction of the price of store-bought and find everything I need at the grocery store.

(P.S. Hide it from your kids.)

Plus it tastes like cookie dough. Pfft. What brand can claim that?

I’ve been using this as a body exfoliator and face scrub for a few weeks, and I LOVE it. It totally exfoliates and moisturizes my dry skin and gets rid of all the dead skin. And it’s silky smooth when I’m done. I feel like have a spa day when I scrub my whole body with that stuff.

I’m already a huge fan of coconut oil and I love how it makes my skin feel. I’ve also been using straight coconut oil as a facial moisturizer for a couple of months, and I can tell a big difference in my complexion, which is more uniform than it’s been since I was a kid. I don’t even wear foundation any more — just a few spots of concealer. The scrub does a great job exfoliating and the oil leaves my skin feeling super-hydrated and soft.

By the way, if you haven’t read The Coconut Oil Miracle. You need to. It’s such an informative and eye-opening book! I’m now convinced that coconut oil will make me immortal. At the very least it will keep me from getting premature wrinkles. Hopefully.

OK, here we go! All you need are a few simple ingredients. And you probably already have them in your kitchen.

You don’t need a food processor for this, but it makes it super easy. Just throw in the coconut oil, brown sugar, and other add-ins. (Like essential oils or… um… vanilla extract. Maybe I shouldn’t make it so easy for me to eat.)

Homemade sugar scrub recipes are super versatile. Feel free to use white sugar in this, too. Or swap out the oil for olive oil or almond oil (which I hear is great for healthy skin). I really like brown sugar scrub, so I always do it this way.

This would also be a good time to add any scents. I just used vanilla extract because I love how it smells. Try adding other extracts, essential oils, citrus zest, or even food coloring to make it fun for a special occasion. (I like doing pink peppermint scrub for Christmas gifts!) Lemon sugar scrub is FABULOUS.

Then buzz it around for just a few seconds until it looks creamy. Like this…

Again, you don’t need a food processor for this. You can mix it up in a large bowl. Just make sure your brown sugar is fresh so you don’t have to smooth out a bunch of dry sugar lumps. That’s no fun.

TIP: If you let it go too long, the friction will warm the coconut oil which will cause the whole thing to separate.

Like this…

Don’t panic, though. It’s not a big deal.

A lot of commercial body scrubs are separated like this. This will also happen if you keep homemade body scrub in your shower all the time. It’s still OK to use, though. Just mix it around with your finger before you use it.

And lick it off your finger.

Oh gosh. I should really start using olive oil instead. Or turn it into a salt scrub. (Which is totally doable. Just don’t use really coarse salt or it might be too rough on your skin. Fine sea salt or Kosher salt would be good.)

Anyway. I like the creamy look better.

I just store mine in a mason jar, but you can get creative with your jars if you’re giving them away as gifts.

I made this particular batch of sugar scrub to put in some gift baskets for my girls’ teachers for an end of the year teacher gift. They LOVED it! I found the jars at Ross. They were $5 for a 3-pack. Super cute, right?

You could also tie a piece of cute ribbon around them. Or put a cute sticker on the top and write a message. So many options here.

Then I tied a simple tag on there with some string. I just used bakers twine and some round cut-outs I made from scrapbook paper. You don’t need a Cricut or anything fancy for this. (Plus the tag usually gets tossed anyway. Eventually it’ll get oily and wet from the scrub.)

These are great little inexpensive gifts you can give to teachers, friends, new moms, or to use as stocking stuffers or simply thank you gifts!

By the way, teachers really love these. I’ve made them for my kids’ teachers and they always are super happy and grateful! I like giving teachers something personal, yet functional. A teacher can only have so many teacher-themed nicknacks, right?

Making DIY beauty products can be so much fun. And I feel better using things on my skin that you can easily find at the store (or that you already have in your pantry.)

In an attempt to make my hygiene products more natural, we’ve been using diluted castile soap for body wash and I’ve been using the Oil-Cleansing Method I learned about on The Art of Simple (formerly Simple Mom) for nearly three years now. I haven’t ventured into the “no-poo” movement, but I do try to find shampoos that are free of most of the usual suspects (parabens, sulfates, etc.) I’ve also switched to mostly mineral make-up.

Do you make your own bath and body products? Please share! And if you make this DIY sugar scrub recipe, let me know how you like it by dropping a comment below or tagging me on social media!

Homemade Body Scrub with Brown Sugar and Coconut Oil

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Make your own body scrub at home with things you already have in the pantry!

Ingredients

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup solid (but soft) coconut oil

Extra additions (vanilla extract, essential oils, etc.)

Instructions

Whip together the sugar, oil, and any extra additions until the mixture looks creamy and resembles loose cookie dough.

You may use a food processor, but don't let it process too long or the coconut oil will melt and the mixture will separate. If this happens, just put it in the freezer for a few minutes to solidify and mix again.

Store in an airtight container. Lasts for weeks. Maybe months. If it's stored in the shower, you may have the same problem with separation as the coconut oil warms. Just stir it around with your finger before using.

Do you have problems with the coconut oil solidifying? I tried another recipe with white sugar and coconut oil and it said to microwave the coconut oil first before mixing. I used it right away and it was great but after it sat it solidified and now even though I keep it in the shower, it remains a solid.

I’ve never had the oil go completely hard. I’m surprised yours stays solid even when it’s in the shower! Mine goes completely runny! As long as you can stir it around with your finger and stays sort of creamy it shouldn’t be a big deal.

I stumbled across this while looking for another recipe on your site. I had forgotten about this and I think I’ll make some tonight. It’s perfect timing as my hands are taking a beating lately from weight lifting (callouses). Love the line about licking your finger :) ha, pretty sure I’ll be doing the same and thinking of cookie dough every time I use this.

So I never leave comments on these sorts of articles, but I just made this sugar scrub. Goodness gracious, I now know the miseries of having something so delicious that you have to resist the consumption of it. I added a wee bit “too much” vanilla (if such a thing is possible) and just compensated with more brown sugar. I’m so excited to use it because I’ve already licked the spoon clean and I’m dying to use it for the real reason I made it. Thanks so much.

This is so great for your skin. I added a little bit of glycerin to mine and made it even better. You can buy a bottle of glycerin and add your favorite scent. Better at night because it feels a bit sticky but such a good moisturizer ;)

Never microwave your EO’S gals. Or your oils. You kill off any benefits of them by doing so. Also, by adding glycerin the scrub will last longer if stored in a cool dark location. Ladies, our facial skin is very, very sensitive. By using a sugar scrub on your face you risk “tearing” your skin up. I know it appears to leave a “glow” but you would be better served by using an EO mix that moisturizes your skin versus ripping up the tender flesh of your beautiful faces. Be Blessed Ladies!

I actually make my own shampoo using coconut milk, liquid castille soap, and essential oils. I’ve been using it now for almost a year, and the only problem I’ve found is that it dries out my ends a bit. But a quick mask of coconut oil or even coconut oil and honey once or twice a week will fix that up, no problem. I wasn’t quite brave enough to do the ‘no poo’ method, either, so I found a ‘sorta poo’ recipe online. I tried it, and I love it. Never looked back.

I also use her homemade coconut milk recipe for my ‘sorta poo,’ which you can find here: http://www.crunchybetty.com/homemade-coconut-milk-the-recipe-to-remember

I also make my own liquid castille soap by grating a bar of solid castille soap and melting it in 4 cups of boiling water. It’s cheaper to buy the bars of soap than the liquid, and it only takes a few minutes to grate and melt.

Once you stop washing your hair, your scalp really does respond by producing less oil. I have been washing only once a week if dirty or just rinsing when I shower for years now and my hair has never been healthier. Shine. Volume. Less frizz. Easier to handle. Just my personal experience.

Hi Natilie
Thanks for the great idea, I’m making some for christmas gifts! I am having trouble, when i add the ingredients together the mixture is not creamy like the picture but more like oily brown sugar. It looks like your picture where the mixture was in the food processor too long only i left mine in for only 1 minute. Any idea why this is happening?

Hi Jessica! Is your coconut pretty firm? The softer it is, the quicker it will melt. If your house/kitchen is very warm, put the oil in the fridge for a while to firm up before blending. If you’ve already blended all of it, put that mixture in the fridge and then blend it again and it should be creamy.

A friend gave me this sugar scrub for Christmas and it is so good that it is almost gone. She was so gracious that provided link for me to make more. Nice recipes, easy and inexpensive to make. Now my family get together to make natural beauty and cleaning products. Thanks a lot.

I’m currently hooked on making sugar scrubs! This is a great and easy recipe. Trying it now! Just a recommendation… Please, please don’t use your fingers to mix! I know it’s hard to resist the temptation! Use a wooden spoon or those popsicle sticks. And don’t store or leave near water. It’s important to not allow any water in the mix because mold can grow very quickly. That’s also the reason why I suggest something else to scoop up the scrub. I store mine away from the bathroom and kitchen sink and when I’m ready to use it, I scoop some out and put it in a different cup or something I can carry with me into the shower. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

Hi. . Saw your recipe today and couldn’t wait to try it out. First made it now and it smells so nice I can’t wait to try it on my skin tonight. I will pass on the finger locking though because I added in some tea tree drops and am not sure if that’s yummy?. Thanx a bunch for the recipe ?

I love your scrub recipe. It will be my next effort. I already make a luxurious face and body lotion along the same lines. So much less expensive and much more luxurious. You might like it. I use equal amounts of coconut oil and Shea butter and 1 or two pin pricked vitamin e from capsules and essential oils of your choice. I mix lavender, orange and jasmine. Smells great! Using a hand mixer I whip the Shea butter and coconut oil for a minute or two then add the E and then whip until i have fluffy , fluffy peaks like Cool Whip or whipped creme. Adding drops of oil along the way until I love the smell because Shea butter is very smelly! Total whipping time of about 8-10 minutes for 1 cup of Shea butter and coconut oil. Each. Less time for less qty. More time for larger qty. if you over whip add more. If it is too hot out and melts I put mine in the fridge and then next day leave it out after that and it is just like butter. So far it has been a big hit for gifts.

So I just made this today, but the way the physical aspect of it came out it was more supple and soft than gritty like regular scrubs. I did some research to see if scrubs were made both ways, gritty and more wet like but I wasn’t really sure, still. I mean I think it could be both. I was going to post it on etsy and start an etsy shop but etsy is requiring I put in all this mumbo jumbo I dont know how to do and my parents are asleep so I can’t ask anyone right now the hard shipping and handling questions ugh. And I feel awful about the scrub because I’m trying to start a cosmetics shop on etsy just for fun and I’m mostly going to focus on pigments and eyeshadows and palettes and lipsticks and other makeup. But I was trying to get at least one thing up there and I feel like that failed. Also the scrub feels greasy because of the coconut oil I don’t know if thats how it’s supposed to feel maybe it would have a different reaction with hot water from a shower? I don’t know but I may just give the scrub to my mom. It has an odd scent I put an essentail oil in and called it Lavender. It smells like it. It has coconut scent, lavender scent, and vanilla brown sugar scent it has a longg title. Lavender and Coconut Brown Sugar scrub. But I figure no one will buy it it’s not professional looking enough lol and the texture is awful.

Hi! I’m not sure what exactly you’re asking or how I should respond. Scrubs come in all sorts of textures and this one completely depends on the type of sugar you use. Brown sugar will be more gritty than fine white sugar. And the oil makes a difference, too, as well as the temperature it is stored. If you store it in the shower it will separate. Homemade scrub will do that. It doesn’t contain additives or is blended the same way as commercially made scrub. Coconut oil does leave a slightly greasy residue on your skin for a few minutes, and I actually like how it feels. Was this just a trial run to experiment on scrubs for your shop? Best of luck to you.

This is an awesome idea. I personally thought that the scrub was a little bit too loose, or runny, for my personal liking. So to combat this I added about a half a cup of coffee grinds. This got it right to the consistency I liked and it smells amazing. Letting it chill in the container a bit and it will be right in my shower!

Great recipe! Thank you for sharing. If you’re looking for poo-less shampoo..my friend over at https://www.handmadehomestead.net/ makes some terrific shampoo bars as well as an abundance of other amazing products.
-Cathy

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